AbstractsPsychology

DIMENSIONERING - a decolonial reading

by Søren Soelberg




Institution: Roskilde University
Department:
Year: 2015
Keywords: Decolonial theory; Dimensioneringsplanen; Dimensionering; Epistemic violence; Abyssal Thinking; the decolonized university
Record ID: 1121525
Full text PDF: http://rudar.ruc.dk/handle/1800/18459


Abstract

Several decolonial thinkers point to a hegemonic, epistemological problem within the current Western university whose predicaments, if not challenged, will entail the university becoming inept at solving the issues facing humanity in the 21st century. We believe this to be manifested in the plan of dimensionering of the Danish university educations as put forth by the Danish government in 2014. This study applies Julia Suárez-Krabbe’s concept of epistemic violence and Boaventura de Sousa Santos’ theory of abyssal thinking to the debate surrounding the dimensionering plan and attempts to find, in analysis of a so-called decolonial university wish-list, a path to a better future for the university. The study finds that while the application of the decolonial wish-list on the Western university is not an easy task, a decolonization of the university must be done in order to equip future generations with the tools needed to solve the global problems of the 21st century. The role of the university must be to promote intercultural understanding, school students in interdisciplinary modes of thought and create ‘whole humans’ instead of just human capital.